Barking Dogs

Barking dogs continue to be a problem and it seems to be getting worse. You talk to you neighbor about their dogs and they immediately go on the defense - Why are you picking on my dogs? Other dogs are barking too. It seems the worst offenders are those who leave their dogs outside all day while they go to work and don't have to listen to them. What can be done??

I know that my dogs only bark when there is sombody walking in the sidewalk in our back yard or when hot air ballons are flying over the neighborhood. Other than that they don't bark and they are usually inside all day as we are at home all day.